Ethylene/vinyl acetate/unsaturated esters terpolymer as an additive for improving the resistance to cold of liquid hydrocarbons such as middle distillates and fuels

Abstract

The disclosure relates to the use as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, of at least one copolymer including: from 81 to 87 mol % of at least one α-olefin, preferably of at least ethylene, from 10.5 to less than 12% by moles of at least one vinyl ester, preferably of at least vinyl acetate, and 1 to 8% by moles of at least one α,β-unsaturated mono-carboxylic acid ester, preferably of at least ethyl-2-hexyl acrylate.

1 . The use as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, of at least one copolymer comprising:
 from 81 to 87% by moles of at least one α-olefin;   from 10.5 to less than 12% by moles of at least one vinyl ester; and   from 1 to 8.5% by moles of at least one α,β-unsaturated mono-carboxylic acid ester.   
     
     
         2 . The use as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, of at least one copolymer according to  claim 1  inscribed in a quadrilateral ABCD in which A, B, C and D represent the apices of said quadrilateral and correspond to the molar percentages of at least the vinyl ester and of at least the α,β-unsaturated mono-carboxylic acid ester:
 A: 12; 1 
 B: 12; 6 
 C: 10.5; 4 
 D: 10.5; 8.5. 
 
     
     
         3 . The use as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, of at least one copolymer according to  claim 1  inscribed in a quadrilateral A 1 BC 1 D in which A 1 , B, C 1  and D represent the apices of said quadrilateral and correspond to the molar percentages of at least the vinyl ester and of at least the αβ-unsaturated mono-carboxylic acid ester:
 A 1 : 12; 2 
 B: 12; 6 
 C 1 : 10.5; 5 
 D: 10.5; 8.5. 
 
     
     
         4 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one terpolymer comprising units derived from ethylene, units derived from vinyl acetate and units derived from ethyl-2-hexyl acrylate. 
     
     
         5 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer of weight average molecular weight (Mw) measured by GPC comprised between 3,000 and 30,000, and a number average molecular weight (Mn) measured by GPC generally comprised between 1,000 and 20,000. 
     
     
         6 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability without degrading the blocking tendency of middle distillates such as diesel fuels, domestic oils for heating installations (FOD), kerosene, aviation fuels, heavy fuels. 
     
     
         7 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, the sulfur content of which is less than 5,000 ppm. 
     
     
         8 . A composition of hydrocarbons comprising a majority amount of a middle distillate with a boiling temperature ranging from 100 to 500° C. and a minority amount of at least one copolymer comprising:
 from 81 to 87% by moles of at least one α-olefin; 
 from 10.5 to less than 12% by moles of at least one vinyl ester; and 
 from 1 to 8.5% by moles of at least one α,β-unsaturated mono-carboxylic acid ester. 
 
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 8 , containing from 0 to 100% by weight of biodiesel fuel of animal and/or plant origin. 
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 8  selected from diesel fuels, domestic oils for heating installations (FOD), kerosene, aviation fuels, heavy fuels. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 8  comprising from 10 to 5,000 ppm by weight of the at least one copolymer. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 8  comprising one or several other additives different from the copolymers according to the invention, selected from detergents, anticorrosion agents, dispersants, de-emulsifiers, antifoaming agents, biocides, reodorants, procetane additives, friction modifiers, lubricity additives or unctuousness additives, combustion aids (combustion and soot catalytic promoters), agents improving the cloud point, the pour point, the limiting filterability temperature, antisedimentation agents, antiwear agents and/or agents modifying conductivity. 
     
     
         13 . The composition according to  claim 8 , comprising from 100 to 1,000 ppm by weight of the at least one copolymer. 
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 8 , comprising from 150 to 500 ppm by weight of the at least one copolymer. 
     
     
         15 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer comprising:
 from 81 to 87% by moles of ethylene; 
 from 10.5 to less than 12% by moles of vinyl acetate; and
 from 1 to 8.5% by moles of ethyl-2-hexyl acrylate. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer of weight average molecular weight (Mw) measured by GPC comprised between 3,000 and 20,000, and a number average molecular weight (Mn) measured by GPC generally comprised between 1,500 and 15,000. 
     
     
         17 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, the sulfur content of which is less than 500 ppm. 
     
     
         18 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, the sulfur content of which is less than 50 ppm. 
     
     
         19 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels, the sulfur content of which is less than 10 ppm. 
     
     
         20 . The use according to  claim 1  of at least one copolymer as an additive improving cold resistance and filterability of fuels without any sulfur.